A Dreadfully Big Adventure
by I'm a Nerd and Proud
Summary: Because she needs a book to go to sleep, Hermione gets out of bed and because she gets out of bed, this leads to someone chasing her. Afraid to die, the brightest witch of her age must find her Gryffindor courage to try and make it back to Gryffindor Tower...alive. (I don't own Harry Potter! My LOVELY Beta: SpacesInMyMind)
**A Dreadfully Big Adventure**

 **A/N: written for the QLFC practice round for the Kenmare Kestrals season four  
Prompt: -"To die would be an awfully big adventure." -J.M Barrie, Peter Pan (quote)  
-chasing (word)  
Position: Second Chaser**

~x~

 _I really shouldn't be out of bed…_

The words were stuck in her head, her eyes darting around from wall to wall and corner to corner. Her heart was thudding in her chest and she could almost hear her pulse racing. Oh, why had she gotten out of bed? She had thought it was a good idea, originally.

She needed that book to go to sleep and she had already read all the books she had. So now she sat, hidden under the librarian's desk, her knees drawn to her chest and her bushy hair cushioning her head. The castle was cold and she was seriously regretting getting out of bed in the first place.

The sound of nails scratching a chalk board filled the library and Hermione buried her face into her knees. Where was her Gryffindor courage when she needed it? The book she had risked so much for was tucked under her shirt and pressed against her chest, giving her strength, in a strange way.

She didn't even dare breathe, wondering if whatever was in the library could hear her. She closed her eyes tighter, wishing away whatever was nearby. Finally, Hermione heard the door to the library creak. Whoever or whatever was here must have left! Daring to move, she pulled forth whatever courage she had remaining and got out from under the desk. Her eyes darted around, looking for anything to protect herself with.

Her wand was tucked away safely in her sock, but was not much use for her because she had no idea what she was up against. Was it a mountain troll like in her first year? Was it Mr. Filch? Was it a Death Eater?

Thoughts swirled inside of her brain as she began to cautiously take steps forward. _I have to get back to the common room,_ Hermione thought breathlessly, _and fast!_

Her shoes clicked against the stone floor and she cursed herself. She couldn't believe her stupidity. And they call her the brightest witch of her age!

As she slowly inched her way towards the door, her brown eyes darted around and her ears strained for anything to warn her so she could hide. Where were Harry and Ron when she needed them? Hermione finally reached the doors and prayed that it wouldn't make a sound nor whatever was chasing her would suddenly appear.

The door pushed forward and let out an agonizingly loud moan. Hermione winced and pulled out her wand, trembling now as she whipped it back and forward, looking just about everywhere at once, searching the darkness. Sounds of running feet could be heard and Hermione took off in the other direction, hoping to lose whatever was on her tail.

She stumbled and fell, scraping her hands and knees. Blood pooled on the wounds, causing her to wince. Why was she so clumsy?

Hermione jumped to her feet. Whatever was chasing her was getting closer, and it wasn't just the sound of its footsteps. She could feel the racing heartbeat, the heat in the cool of the night. And whatever it was, it was certainly coming her way.

Now full on adrenaline, puffing and huffing, Hermione sprinted as fast as she could, the book pressed tightly to her chest and her wand out at the ready. She spotted a classroom door and took the chance, slipping inside and bolting it behind her, muttering a quick locking spell under her breath. She cast a quick silencing spell on the classroom and rushed to the window, checking to see if she could jump out of it, anything to escape.

The sound of a howl echoed from down the hallway. Hermione could feel her heart trying to leap out of her chest. Looking up at the sky, she spotted the full moon.

A werewolf. The only possible explanation. It must be a werewolf that was chasing her.

Pulling her book out from under her shirt, Hermione started flipping through the pages. Something here had to tell her how to put down a werewolf. As much as she loved Remus, in this moment, she would regret nothing. And then the scratching was heard against the door.

 _I forgot about their sense of smell!_ Hermione yelped and jumped back from the door, watching it fearfully. Why the werewolf hadn't found her in the library she would never know. Maybe the scent of dusty books had thrown him off. She only had moments left now and she knew it, frantically flipping pages in the book faster.

Later, once she lived, she would scold herself for treating a book so badly. The scratching was getting louder and more bold. The werewolf knew she was here. She looked harder and still nothing jumped out at her.

She was going to die.

Hermione looked up at the door when she heard the hinges begin to give way. The werewolf was going to get inside. _To die would be an awfully big adventure,_ Hermione thought, remembering her favorite book as a child, ' _Peter Pan_ ' by J.M Barrie. How fitting that when she was about to die that it came back to her.

The door finally gave way.

A tall grey creature appeared, standing tall on its back legs, matted fur bristling across its back and fangs dripping with saliva. Its glowing eyes locked onto hers and stalked forward. Hermione was frozen in fear, every spell she knew washed away from her in the terror of the moment. The wolf moved closer and she was unable to move. She wished Harry was here, he always knew what to do. But here she was, books and cleverness all useless to the wash of fear and terror threatening to drown her.

Now the werewolf was standing tall in front of her, close enough that she could smell its disgusting breath. She looked up, her eyes locking onto the glowing orbs inside of its skull. Hermione gulped, wishing that she could think of something to save herself.

Instead, she was paralyzed. The wolf growled, showing off its teeth and chilling her heart with another wave of terror. Her heart was racing faster and she could barely breathe. The wolf sensed her fear before he leaned down, nudging her with its cold wet nose. And then…?

It bit her.

Blood poured down Hermione's neck and shoulders, soaking her white tank top red. The wolf did not let go of her until she felt her head droop and her heart began to slow down. Hermione's vision was fuzzy before she heard the faint howl coming from the wolf. And then a soft voice…

 _You belong to me now,_ the voice oddly sounded like Remus, _mine._

And then the wolf began to lick her blood and tended to her wounds. Remus had just claimed his mate.

~x~

 **The end! My first Harry Potter horror story, actually my first horror story! What did you all think? Was the Remus/Hermione thing a surprise? ;)**


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